Palin’s Offensive Remarks

So Sarah Palin calls those who link her to Saturday’s murders and violence in Tuscon a “Blood Libel”.  Is she understanding what she said?  A Jewish Congresswoman was almost murdered. It was an assassination attempt.  Rep. Giffords was shot point-blank in the head. It is a miracle that she survived.  And she was one of the congress…Read more »

The Day the Music stopped

What a sad weekend.  The tragic shooting of Rep. Giffords in Arizona and the deaths of so many people in Tuscon coupled with the passing of Jewish music great Debbie Friedman makes this a painful weekend. Debbie was an amazingly gifted singer and songwriter.  Most knew her through her incredible Jewish music.  I had the…Read more »

Funeral customs are changing

In an on g0ing effort to talk about unwritten Jewish culture and tradition I want to spend a few moments on Funerals. This week at the PARR conference I co-led a discussion with Sinai Memorial Park and Mortuary General Manager Len Lawrence on the changing customs of Jewish burial and funeral practice.  It was a…Read more »

Plagues?

Parshat Bo Exodus  10:1- 13:16   With this week’s Torah portion Bo the last of the plagues are inflicted upon Egypt. These signs and wonders are terror for Egypt but miracles of deliverance for the Hebrew slaves. It is always a matter of perspective. The only thing that protects the Israelites from the final terror…Read more »

Commandment or Vow?

Sadly today is the last day of our Rabbinic Conference for the Pacific Region.  It has been a wonderful week of learning. We have been thinking about new ways to define and redefine Jewish connections, life, the Reform Movement as well as build a relationship with Israel.  Our Scholar, Dr. Rabbi Michael Marmur, Provost of…Read more »

Training day

Even in the light of the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell anti-gay videos shown aboard the USS Enterprise continue the culture of homophobia.   A Navy commander was featured in an anti-gay video shown to hundreds of sailors on board. Changing culture will take more than signing legislation. I hope Admiral Mullens understands that.…Read more »

Community

One of the things that I love about being in Palm Springs for the Rabbis convention is the wonderful sense of community.   Even though we often don’t see one another for months at a stretch or even years at a stretch, there is an immediate kinship and friendship that happens.  The PARR conference is…Read more »